


Tea Time

by Ichirinsa



Series: A Professor's New Dawn, and assorted Support Conversations [15]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:00:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25015108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ichirinsa/pseuds/Ichirinsa
Summary: Byleth missed getting the chance to have tea with her students. It's nostalgic and beautiful that Haru has gone out of her way to extend an invitation, let alone to provide the tea. Byleth's not used to that one.
Series: A Professor's New Dawn, and assorted Support Conversations [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1765159
Kudos: 21





	1. Support Level C - Orange Spice

Haru’s house is big. Huge. The kitchen follows suit, clearly, as even the marble-countered island could seat a party of twelve or so. It’s Byleth’s first visit, and she feels lucky to have been extended the opportunity. “I’ll give you the first choice on the tea for today, Haru. I’m curious about your preferences.” Even with the extensive space, however, Haru has set out a small table,just for the two of them, decorated with a tray of butter cookies and a bowl for sugar cubes.

“Hm. Normally I choose something more subdued, but today…” She spins a well-organized revolving tower of countless varieties of tea. “Today I want to do something a bit out of the ordinary for myself. I’ve fallen into a rut with tea -- I’d like to branch out, and this is the perfect opportunity! How about… Orange spice?”

“Sounds fantastic.”

Haru scoops the loose leaves into a pot’s filter, then sits to make conversation while the two wait for it to steep.

For once, Byleth observes proper etiquette at her seat. “So, Haru, I must admit that I didn’t expect your choice of weapon to be the greataxe.”

“Neither did I, to be honest. But now that I’ve used it, I can hardly imagine using anything else.” She brings one curled hand up to cover her mouth as she giggles.

“We can get to a lesson later when you have the time, but I can at least use this time to explain the basics of wielding one, if you’d like.”

“Oh, I’d love that!”

“Then I’ll start with basics: Using any weapon with a bladed edge requires a good grip. Your hands need to be positioned to build up enough speed, but the more important facet of technique is a proper angle. If you don’t hold the axe correctly, you won’t strike with the blade, which ruins the efficacy of the weapon. You’ll find that most axe handles are more elliptical in shape for this purpose. Just pay attention to how it feels in your hands, and you’ll manage to get the hang of it. Secondly, use the momentum of the weapon to your advantage. It’s heavy, which means that following through is a curse without accuracy, but a blessing with a good strike. Especially if you leverage gravity as a tool. You see…”

Their conversation goes on and on. Partly one-sided, as Byleth walks Haru through proper usage of the weaponry. Even so, Haru is attentive through Byleth’s entire spiel, nodding in affirmation, hands daintily upon her knees. Only when the tea is ready to drink does Byleth realize her unintentional dominance over the conversation. As soon as she’s aware, she shakes her head and finishes the explanation.

“Oh, sorry Haru. I’m talking your ear off, I’m sure.” She reaches to the pot and pours a generous cup for each. The steamy aroma fills the atmosphere within moments: Citrus, the tanginess of orange, underlined by a stark contrast of cinnamon.

Haru blows atop the liquid to ease it to a more potable temperature. “Don’t worry, Byleth. I think it’s magnificent that you know so much about all these different kinds of weapons. You’ve taught everyone about them, correct?”

“Not without some proper research on my part first, but there are some I’m lucky enough to have used. I actually tried out the axe before picking up the segmented blade. I learned a lot, but decided that it wasn’t for me.” Byleth is more courageous with her tea, and she regrets it. Not too hot to drink, but too hot to enjoy the flavor.

“I see! How interesting.”

Might as well address the elephant in the massive room. “...How have you been faring after the loss of your father, Haru?”

She twirls a finger in the fluffy waves of her hair. “I’m managing. It’s been difficult dealing with the company, keeping up with class, and putting up with my fiance’s… nonsense.”

Byleth squints. Did she hear that right? “Fiance? Was your father unable to cancel that arrangement?”

“It seems not. Even so, Sugimura-kun seems to keep mentioning some contract’s stipulations.” She sighs. This is completely unfair and she knows it.

“I can flip him again, if you’d like.”

At that, she giggles. It almost sounds carefree. Almost. “Maybe so, if he tries to harm either of us again. I would certainly make no motion to stop you. Did he ever interfere with your job at all?”

“Not even a bit. I knew he’d be too spineless to do anything about it. I know his type -- all bark, no bite.” Now, Byleth relaxes her posture. Her tea has sufficiently cooled to a crisp, bracing heat. It tastes even more delicious than it smells.

“I believe he still thinks we were together romantically that evening… I’m sorry for the horrible things he said to you.” She sips her tea, calm, eyes closed. “You were correct, however. He has very little room to speak in terms of age difference. He is twenty years old, after all.”

“He made it all the more satisfying to slam him into the concrete. He hasn’t harmed you in any way, has he? Or spoken to you like that at all?”

Haru sets her tea down a moment after savoring the complex flavor. “Thankfully not. I haven’t been forced to spend time with him in private.”

“Good. I won’t hesitate to put him into the ground again.” Byleth closes her eyes, shakes her head, exhales, all sorrowful. “You deserve better than all of this, Haru. Better than being orphaned at your age, better than inheriting an international business, better than that awful, awful fiance.”

“I think so, too, Byleth. But there’s not much to be done about it for now.”

“There is, but I know I can’t think of anything. This is outside my scope of experiences. Akira might be able to help, right?”

“He’s already been very helpful, yes. Actually, he’s been giving magnificent advice on how to stand up to all of them.”

“Good. If he knows how to do anything, it’s rebel.”

After a chuckle, the conversation returns to a lighthearted trail. The tea is delicious, but the company makes it uniquely so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I literally posted Chapter 8 of the main story thirty minutes ago, but I want to pump out some of these support conversations quick to get to the next stuff. There'll be a lot of them between chapters 8 and 9 (10 of them, to be precise) and a lot of them have already been through a first draft and will be easy to put on finishing touches. Again, I'm not beating myself up about quality, so they won't be long.
> 
> Plus the first romance supports will be coming after Chapter 9, and you know my sentimental ass wants to get those out there


	2. Support Level B - Chamomile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ah, a calming beverage to help with a stressful week. And a stressful fiance.

“I hope you don’t mind if I make an executive decision on tea today, Byleth.” She plucks out a tin of loose leaves and pours a few scoops into the filter before adding water. “Chamomile. I need relaxation after this week.”

That statement is not going unquestioned. “How do you mean, Haru?”

Haru takes her seat, sighing and weary. “School was difficult, I’m having problems trying to deal with the company, and Sugimura is… well, he’s being demanding.”

“How so?”

Her lips purse with stress and disapproval. “He claims to have some stake of ownership in the company that he’ll keep if I annul our engagement.”

That is  _ far _ out of Byleth’s scope of knowledge and experience. No use in trying to give advice on a field she’s completely ignorant about. “I can’t claim to know much about business. Just… stay safe around him.”

“I do. I learned how to intimidate him out of his many advances.” She giggles, as though she isn’t talking about frightening a man out of trying to touch her. “Just as you said, he’s spineless. I took notes on how to be scary from you!”

“Is that so?” Byleth laughs, a more full laugh than usual. “And how is that?”

“Do you remember what you said to him after slamming him to the ground?” She leans her head against her knuckles. Clearly, she keeps those words near and dear to her heart.

Byleth intertwines her own fingers. She’s curious. “Vaguely. I’m guessing you do?”

“When he said ‘I won’t forget your face,’ you responded with ‘I hope you don’t.’ I still get goosebumps when I imagine the face you were making! Since then, I know exactly how to keep him away.” She pumps both fists. She’s enthusiastic about this, and with good reason.

She nods, impressed. “I’m interested. Tell me what you’ve got.”

“Well, I’ve certainly had to tell him multiple times that if he should keep his hands to himself if he wants to keep his hands at all. I even did that trick with the hand twist you showed me!” She lightly demonstrates the technique on her own hand: A grip wherein the thumb presses against the victim’s pinky knuckle while the rest of the fingers twist around the heel of the thumb. Just a modicum of pressure can have the target’s entire arm coiled tightly, helplessly.

A good application of the technique. Precisely what Byleth was hoping for, actually. “Fantastic so far, I love it. Got any more?”

“Let’s see… He once approached me with some crass comments, then backed off when I glared daggers at him. ‘Good. So long as you keep backing away, you’ll earn a right to my apathy.’ That one was fun!” Her smile is adorable, yet unsettling.

“That might be better than anything I could’ve come up with. You’re a natural.” She’s not lying. Haru’s normally adorable demeanor makes her all the more scary when she cheerfully rattles off these lines.

But her face still sinks, even amidst the fun she has explaining each threat. “Unfortunately, I’m not so great at doing these around the company’s board of executives. He can tell I’m too nervous to say anything then…”

Curiosity takes hold of Byleth. She’s interested in how this whole engagement happened, if only in hopes of finding a way to tear the whole thing apart. “If I may, when did all of this start with Sugimura?”

“Only last year, actually. That’s around when my father started his plans for an eventual political career.”

“What did you think of all of it back then?” She brings up both hands and rests them on the back of her head. While she’s tried to have good posture at these tea parties, the two of them have agreed it isn’t a necessity. They’re friends, after all.

“About the same as now, really. I think Sugimura is a pervert with a rotten core, and that I want very little to do with him. He tried to seem nice at first, but I saw right through that lie.” Haru pours the chamomile for both of them. Between all the conversation, it’s actually cooled to a fantastic temperature. The two halt their words to take a simultaneous drink. Byleth’s eyelids even flutter at the flavor. “Have you ever had to deal with anyone like him before?”

One person immediately comes to mind. “Not exactly. There was a student at Garreg Mach who would flirt with any woman with a pulse, but he at least had the good sense to keep his hands to himself and to ease off when someone put up a boundary. Didn’t mean he wouldn’t come back eventually.”

_ Oh Sylvain, that redheaded womanizer. Did he ever end up with Felix? I really ought to find out. The tension between the two always was palpable. _

Byleth continues where she left off. “Granted, he was a far more complex individual than I’d presumed from his pursuits. He only ever went after women like that because he assumed that anyone who ever fell in love with him would be doing so for his status as nobility. Hence his skirt-chasing to avoid that sort of commitment.”

“Maybe Sugimura should’ve just done that instead.”

“I wouldn’t put it past him that he might do it when you’re not around anyway.” Knowing him, he probably has at least one or two mistresses.

“True. He does seem the type.” At that, Haru sighs into her cup of chamomile.

Byleth reads her face: Despondent, painted with surrender. “You’ll find a way to get rid of him, without interfering with Okumura Foods.”

“I hope so. He doesn’t deserve a place in my life.” She can only offer a weak smile, merely one corner tilting upward. She respects herself enough to make that decision.

The topics take a turn toward weaponry after this. Can’t always focus on the empty portion of the glass. Sometimes one must focus on the fact that the glass can be cleft in half at the business end of a greataxe.


	3. Support Level A - Oolong

“I’ve been quite rude up to now, I’m afraid. Not allowing the choice of tea has been quite inhospitable and unbecoming of me. Please, take your pick, Byleth.” Haru finds a spot on the massive marble-countered island to place the revolving rack of boxes upon boxes of every variety of tea known to mankind, just in front of Byleth.

“Don’t fret, Haru. You’ve been a wonderful host.” Byleth rotates the selection and appraises the options. Earl gray, Saint Petersburg, Moroccan mint, hmmm. “Besides, I don’t think I’ve been disappointed by any of your decisions regarding tea during our little get-togethers thus far.”

That’s enough to make Haru giggle. “Still, I should have at least offered you the choice.”

“Never too late.” She scans up and down the inventory multiple times. Rather than succumb to decision paralysis, she opts for the first relaxing tea she sees. “Today will be Oolong, then.”

Haru’s expression softens, fades. But she smiles regardless. “Of course. I’ll get it started.”

Conversation fails them, if only momentarily. As Haru prepares their tea, pours each cup, sits down… she doesn’t say a word. Byleth can tell that her smile isn’t genuine.

“You know I’m not fooled by that smile, right?”

“I had presumed as much. I understand you’re very perceptive in changes of emotion. Not that I do a particularly sufficient job at maintaining a facade.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

She breathes deep to center herself. “...Oolong was my father’s favorite tea. Before he became what he was, back when I was very young, we would sit down just like this and enjoy each other’s company. Once upon a time, he was a good father. I haven’t had much oolong since then, it seems.”

“Those sound like happy memories.”

“Most definitely. Before the runaway success of Okumura Foods, we were a family. We had little choice but to stick together. He raised me alone, after all.”

“I know the feeling. Not exactly the same, mind you, but similar.”

“I think you’ve mentioned such. Care to share the details?”

“I’m happy to. My mother died in childbirth, leaving dad to rear me up all on his own.” She drums her fingers on the surface of the table and observes the subsequent ripples on the tea. “He didn’t do perfect, nor was I the best daughter, but I did my best.”

“We’re quite similar in that regard, then.” Her smile sinks as she draws her teacup towards her lips.

Byleth only watches as Haru sips and sighs. Even from an outside perspective, she knows the taste must bring memories back to the forefront of her mind, once buried or forgotten. “You must feel conflicted about him.”

“Very much. I was already mourning our happy relationship when he became so greedy, but I never gave up hope that he could change for the better. I suppose I hoped that a change of heart would act as a catalyst for that shift.”

“It’s okay to have complicated emotions at the loss. And it’s okay to keep the memories in your heart, yet still move forward.” Byleth finally drinks her own tea. Even the scent relaxes her muscles after a long week and a seemingly longer venture into the Metaverse the night prior. “Do you remember the first time we shared tea like this?"

“How could I forget? It was a wonderful introduction to our shared interest.”

“You chose orange spice. That was my father’s favorite blend. He and I would share it on our days off at Garreg Mach. He never liked tea quite as much as I do, but he went out of his way to carve time out of his schedule for me. I cherish those memories so dearly. He made me who I am today. I know that it must be the same with you and your own father.” She recalls all the times Jeralt would howl with laughter at some joke she never understood. He didn’t have those laugh lines on his face for no reason, after all. 

“I’m sorry, Byleth, if I had known…”

She merely holds one hand up, palm toward Haru to gently shoosh her. “Making new memories with my students and friends means the world to me, even atop pre-existing bittersweet recollections. I hope I can help you do the same with this oolong.” She motions toward Haru with her cup, then takes another drink with a satisfied groan.

For the first time this afternoon, Haru’s smile is genuine once more. “I would love that, Byleth.”

Best to lift the mood with some positivity. “Any good news?”

“Oh, yes! My engagement with Sugimura has officially been annulled!”

“Has he given you any trouble over it?”

“He’s threatened legal action, as always, but he has no ground to stand on. Actually, if he were to try it, we could countersue him on grounds of maintaining that he had some false contract that stipulated partial ownership of Okumura Foods in the event of our separation.”

“It’s what he deserves. I’m glad to hear that.”

“He blames you and Akira, of course. He had some… choice terms to use about my supposed ‘promiscuity’ regarding both of you.”

“Cute.” Curiosity gets the better of her. “I’m guessing you’ve considered Akira?”

Her face becomes pinker than the sweater she’s wearing. Suddenly, everything else in the room other than Byleth’s eyes becomes far more interesting to look at. “B-Byleth! I-I-I mean, he’s…”

“That’s a yes, then.” Byleth takes a nonchalant sip of her tea. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. I understand your perspective, however.” Every group of friends has that  _ one person _ that everybody has a crush on at some point. Oh, sweet Dorothea. Byleth giggles to herself at the memories of Edelgard, Petra, Ferdinand, Sylvain -- hell, even  _ Ingrid _ \-- gawking at Dorothea after Byleth had awoken from her coma. They weren't subtle in the least. And Ingrid apparently was starting to realize some new aspects of herself.

“I mean, I suppose… I think the others have also seen him in that kind of light. Even Ryuji and Yusuke…” She looks to Byleth, as if hoping for confirmation.

“My lips are sealed.”

Onward the conversation goes between them, like a hammer to forge new memories over the old.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jeralt doesn't actually have "favorite teas" in Three Houses because he's not an option for the whole Tea Time thing, so I used Leonie's favorite kinds of teas -- she'd definitely copy him, let's be honest. Orange Spice felt like enough of a substitute for the Four Spice that exists in-game, and thus these chapters were born.


End file.
